City officials want to hear your feedback with commuting at an upcoming public engagement session.

“The City has been experiencing significant growth in the last 10 and 15 years. We just need to make sure we can accommodate future growth,” said Robin Hutchinson, transportation and safety engineering supervisor for the City of Grande Prairie.

The Transportation Master Plan sets the long term vision for the city where much needed roadway connections, pathways and lanes are identified.

“We’re looking at what the city would look like when the population reaches 90,000 and 120,000,” said Hutchinson. “I don’t imagine that Grande Prairie is going to reach the thresholds within the next 20 years at least. We are looking into the long term.”

The first discussion session is being held in the Montrose Cultural Centre’s Teresa Sargent Hall on 9839-103 avenue at Thursday, Jan. 25. Officials will be listening to residents and commuters to hear their main issues, what problems they are experience and what areas they think should be prioritized.

“We’ll then refine those comments and find a workable plan that we will go back in late spring and say this is what we heard, this is what we produced, does this fit with your comments and concern?,” said Hutchinson.

Eventually, by the third public engagement session, the City hopes it would have a more conducive plan with answers to the concerns and issues raised by the public from the second engagement session.

The City hasn’t had a plan for several years. The last one was made in 2009.

Hutchinson said it’s important to engage the public, residents and business owners to understand what they see in the city’s long term future.

“We’re helping them create the vision of what we want Grande Prairie to look like in the future.”

Hutchinson could not specify which streets and avenues will be addressed but said the plan is to make sure residents have access to trails and pathways along with parks.

“That would include the future ring road around the city. I know at this moment in time the Province is currently building the Highway 43X which is the northwest quadrant and we ensuring our connectivity with that ring road,” he said. “We’re also looking at connectivity in the southwest quadrant but at this moment in time the Province does not have a confirmed plan for that.”